Water-heater.



L. STOGK'STEOM.

WATER EEATEE,

PLIOATION FILED JAN. Z2, 1906L Patented Mar. 2, 1909.

Snowdon Amm/f 4 V atbo'omuj UNITE STATS Pr @SET FICE.

LOUIS STOCKSTROM, OF S'I. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN STOVE COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

WATER-HEATER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 2, 1909.

Application filed January 22, 1906. Serial No. 297,317.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LoUrs STooKsraoM, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in 7Water-I-leaters, of which the following is a speciiication, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to an improvement in water heaters, and has for its object the providing of a vertically movable shell or casing for the heater and burner, and means for moving the shell vertically, whereby d irect access to the main burner is provided for lighting purposes. I

In the accompanying drawing, Figure l, is a perspective view of a water heater involving my invention, the shell of the water heater being shown raised in solid lines for lighting purposes, and lowered in dotted lines to its operative position. Fig. 2, is a sectional perspective view, the shell being shown in central section.

Referring now to the drawing, l indicates the usual hot water tank or boiler. This hot water tank or boiler is connected with the water heater 2 through the medium of the connections 3, 4 and 5.

The interior construction of the water heater 7 may be such as that shown in Fig. 2, or any other desired form. It will be observed, however, that in the form of water heater to be used with the surrounding shell 6, the water heater to a large extent obstructs the shell, so that the heat from the burner will be more effective 'for heating the water. This is true in all forms of water heaters of the type here shown.

My present invention pertains to the vertically movable casing or shell 6, which is here shown with its lower portion 7 enlarged and surrounding the main gas burner 8. In the position shown in full lines, direct access is permitted to the main burner 8 for lighting purposes, the flow of gas to the burner being controlled by any suitable valve Q.

Projecting from the interior portion of the water heater is a flue or tube l0, and secured to this fine or tube 10 is a liange 1].. When the vertically movable casing or shell 6 is in its normal and lower position (as shown in dotted lines) the shell or casing 6 is supe ported by engagement with the flange 11. By pressing down upon an intermediately pivoted lever 12- the casing or shell 6 is raised by means of a link 14 which connects the casing or shell with one end of the intermediately pivoted lever 12.

In water heaters of this character, the outer casing 6 is stationary and incloses the main burner, and there is an auxiliary burner which is to be lighted by the operator before turning on the main burner. With the case ing or shell in its immovable position surrounding the main burner, it has been found that frequently servants and others intrusted with the lighting of these heaters, rst turn on the main burner and then light the subburner, which as a consequence causes an explosion within the casing, doing more or less damage. The liability of the foregoing result is exaggerated in water heaters of this type by reason of the fact that the water heater very materially obstructs the flow of the gas through the shell 6, so that the gas is retained within the shell, and where the shell is stationary, as heretofore, to first turn on the gas and then light it in the manner previously stated, an explosion is the result. By providing a movable casing or shell which surrounds the burner, and leaving off the sub or auxiliary lighter, the operator is required to lift the portion surrounding the main burner and to haife direct access to the main burner for lighting purposes.

In the type of heater to which this invention relates, when the shell is down and the gas is turned on, there is considerable draft through the shell and the gas escaping from the burner is quickly carried up into the shell and if the burner is then lighted, an eX- plosion is likely to occur by reason of the expansion of the ignited gas in the shell. Vhen, however, the shell 6 is raised the draft through the shell is thereby destroyed, and by reason of the space then existing between the lower end of the shell and the burner, enough of the gas escapes around and outside of the shell to prevent an ignitible mixture being formed in the shell, and this result has been fully demonstrated by the practical every day use of the heater for domestic and similar purposes.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is l l. A water heater comprising a water container, a burner below said container, and a vertically-movable shell normally surrounding the water container and burner, and

means for moving the shell vertically above the burner to expose ,it for lighting ,and .t0 `osiuse a large proportion of the iinligijited gas from the burner to pass outside of the shell and thus prevent the formation of en ignitible miXtureWithin the shell prior to lighting the burner, for the purpose described.

2. A Water lheater comprising a verticallymovable shell having openends, astationary y member for closing its upper end, a burner Vet its lower end, a Water oontamer Within the l shell, uid means for lifting the shell and thereby permitting the gas ,from the burner to esoape outside of and through the said shell prior to lighting the burner.

lIn testimony whereof I aiiiX my signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.

LOUIS STOCKSTR OM. l

-Vitnesses O. H. GUETHER, MAX LEPLIN 

